Kirby wrote database applications for NGOs and hospital operating rooms before hopping on the Python bandwagon. Having a penchant for philosophy, his focus at Princeton, and experience as a high school math teacher, Visual Python "3D programming for ordinary mortals" proved a major lure . For the last few years he has been teaching Python certificate courses through an on-line asynchronous learning system owned by O'Reilly Media. A longtime resident of Portland, Oregon, Kirby returned to the city of his childhood after formative experiences in Rome, Italy (through middle school), Manila (high school) and New Jersey (college).