[EDIT] I made this post a little easier for those who don't want to read the entire post. Just skip to the 6th paragraph. I honestly don't know if I should truncate it a little or something. xD
== Ignore the following if you don't want to read the deep specifics. ==
Yep, just sixteen. I learned everything I know by myself. From web development, web design, basic 3d modeling/animation/rendering, networking, basic transmission protocols, standards, graphic design, photography, basic encryption and security, simple database usage, web hosting, and a handful more. Though I do admit I lack knowledge on the very specifics of hardware components, and a little bit on networking. So yea, on the more specific end of forums, I run a little business-based forum on our business website (obviously very very quiet) and I'm the forum administrator for the International Landscape Alliance.
And slowly learned about the patterns of spam, how they get through, and basically how to use the forum software itself and how to modify it. I started out from just reading various sources on the Internet (tutorials primarily) parallel to having one or two Internet friends who have such knowledge, then went on to using books since it's more portable that way. I don't have a laptop; besides, you don't need to plug in/charge a book to read it
As for being young, I wish I could be a couple years older, since some people won't really take me seriously at my current age for doing certain tasks, which can be rather irritating. As for my grammar or whatever you prefer to call it, I guess it just came to me or something, I'm not exactly aware why I seem a little more mature or literate for my age. I'm just lucky I guess, I used to have a friend where we'd logically debate on how something fictional could be true. He knew his vocabulary, so I guess I caught on a little bit.
I'm still very unaware of what to do as a career. I know I like to fiddle around with technology, but honestly, I'd like to do something a little more creative and a job that usually involves simply working with others. Currently I sit at my desk day after day programming or working on mindless tasks on our business website. While making sure we're complying with standards (which 95% of folks
DONT do..) and thinking in the aspects of Search Engine Optimization. But, that involves me sitting at my chair, at home, all alone. So if winter break comes along, I slowly get stripped of my social abilities from working through most of it (since there would be no school), which I regret.
As a career it might be fun to be a 3d graphic artist or something, perhaps. I've played around with it a little before, and actually have played with software that is used in the video production industry. I know it sounds stupid, but I /really/ don't care about making millions of dollars. My brother is always encouraging me to become an architect or something huge. Architecture is interesting, however it's a difficult industry, isn't much demand, and it involves plotting something all by yourself for a period of long time. Just as long as I do something creative and with other people, then I'd be content. Contributing to the production of Freeborn or similar projects would actually be a dream job, but I'm far too young for such things yet, I suppose.
== Ignore the above if you don't want to read the deep specifics. ==
Other than that, I really have no idea of what the future will hold. *notices 5 paragraphs so far*.. Blargh, I have to stop writing endless posts, lmao. Just a reply to a "happy birthday" acknowledgment, and I practically turn my reply around to being a whole post on what I plan to do in my future life.
But yea, as far as my birthday went.. It was basically with my immediate family. They randomly took me to a Mexican restaurant (no, I don't have a Mexican heritage). Then ate a little. Later some of the staff came out singing, put a sombrero on me, and smudged me with whip cream. After that I opened gifts and received a 12-24mm aspherical lens for my Nikon D50 (Hint: it's a lens for my camera). And also got a radio transmission scanner (which I didn't really ask for, but is interesting). Which was pretty much everything I received, of which does probably total up to like $500 although. At the end, they let me drive one of the vehicles home (even though I didn't exactly desire to) and made a few stupid mistakes.
(I have a provisional license currently!)
Overall, it was a unique birthday. Sorry for forcing you all to read a 7 paragraph post.