Getting to know you...

Because it only took Viking-Sensei three years (and the approaching end of Errant Story) to come up with a better name for "General Discussions"
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zanntos
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by zanntos »

Guess i should actually put up an introduction as well.

The name's Pierre, and i live in Southern Maryland about 20 minutes south of Waldorf. Age 24 and married for just over a year at this point. I work as a computer scientist (read code monkey) and love it. I grew up on a interesting mixture of fantasy books and video games with a strong leaning toward anything RPG or Strategy. I also lucked out to have an UBER dad that decided a good way to spend time with his early teenager kids was to DM a D&D campaign for the 4 of us at that point ages ranging from 8-14, which is where my screen name came from as Zanntos was a name i came up with for my Elf Rogue. Add in a local comic and gaming shop lair of choice and a Games Workshop in the local mall and i was pretty much fated for geekdom.

My father also works as a code monkey at the same place i do so (and has been working for then for as long as i am old ;P ) so i grew up around computers and remember cutting my gaming teeth on as much Kings/Space Quest as i did Nintendo once i was actually old enough to read enough for the task.

My interest in Anime started off with Tenchi, DBZ, and Gundam Wing on Cartoon Network as well as Outlaw Star when that aired. I hit a dry spell during college due to my commuting to College Park which was a hour each way, however that's when i started reading webcomics which eventually lead me to Megatokyo and from there Exploitation Now and Errant Story. With graduation a 2 years ago and an officemate that's also into Anime, my watching Anime resumed and i discovered the greatness of the Fansubs, quickly developing my preference of Japanese with Subs over Dubs. Being the somewhat overzealous geek i am i study a bit of Japanese in my freetime when not playing a game or doing whatever the latest housework agro the wife has, my actual grasp for the language is still in its early stages however i at least like to pretend that it's slightly above typical fanboi-Japanese.

I played World of Warcraft for about 2 years but lost interest in it roughly last May/June as i got tired of the constant hurry up and wait of Raiding, particularly since i was a Balance druid since Hurricane was our 30 point talent, not a popular spec for raiding. Even when i did find a good guild that let me raid and i got Nef and some AQ40 kills with my spec, in BC i got to end game started raiding and just it reached the point where it just felt like work, so i quit.

I actually got around to joining the forums this fall since Impy poked me about it a bit at Otakon. I tend to lurk in the "3 things" games in particular as it feeds my slightly twisted sense of humor, though i read pretty much whatever post goes across as i tend to lurk in the forums while at work.
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Slamlander
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Slamlander »

I just found this thread because Impy said she was putting a reference to another article of mine on this board somewhere.

Since the Abbot (Greybeard) posted his bits, I guess I should post mine. I was born in Jan, 1954. This make me 53 for another month yet. Yes, kicking and screaming down the path I go. I too have grey in the beard but I'm part malaysian/Indonesian (Dutch-Indonesian) so there isn't much beard in the first place, just enough to make me shave every 2-3 days.

I was born in the Netherlands, immigrated to the US (eventually California), in 1960, fought for the US Army (1973-1977), went to school and did the US Aerospace circuit in So. Cal. for 15 years, before moving to the Silicon Valley for another 10. I am an Engineer. I do Mechanics, Electrics, Electronics, but mainly software. I love sports racing and flying but I don't do either anymore. I moved back to Europe on 4Jul03.

In that time, I've been married twice and am about to make it a third (maybe this one will stick?). I have a 26 year old daughter, who still lives back in the SF Bay Area. Oh yes, I am definitely a straight but gay tolerant. I have a number of age-related health issues but I don't let them slow me down too much and they are mostly invisible. I do way too many little pills per day (even one is too many).

Oh yes, I've been in Management since 1985 and have owned and operated three companies, for over 5 years each. I am considering starting my fourth, in Geneva, Switzerland. I have a SciFi/Fantasy book published under the pen-name of Johan De Ronin. No, you guys don't all get my born identity. Impy knows it (and I assume that Poe does, or can find out easily) and so does Greybeard. No one else has a need-to-know.

The Slamlander is in many places on the web, they are all me. I can sometimes be a little short but I try not to expose too much sting. I have been known to sometimes be type-A reactive but I am mostly a type A-B (ENTJ) personality.
Shane S.
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Shane S. »

Hello everyone.

My name is Shane Simmons. I'm a 21 year old Georgia resident. I haven't been reading Errant Story very long and I haven't picked up very much of Exploitation Now. I just started getting into the comic earlier this year when a friend of mine invited me to the oppritunity of a lifetime.

My friend, he told me we were flying up to Boston to meet up with someone I've never even heard of before, Micheal Poe. We would be helping him sell his art and his web comic at Otakon '07. Even though I had never heard of any of this I figured, "What the hell? Why not?", and we were on our way.

We got there, and well I got to meet Poe and Impy. (Gah, I can never be sure of whether to use actual names on boards.) As well as the enigmatic(?) Lauren, who I love dearly in that gay best friend kind of way. (Not Gay.) In any case, we did Otakon '07 up right. And although I didn't actually know anything about it, I still tried my best to sell those books and those plushies, dear god the plushies...

I worked them one more time at my home con of Dragon'Con 07 in Atlanta. Dragon'Con was... interesting. People didn't seem as keen on purchasing as much as they did in Baltimore, and there were a lot of us that time, so I didn't end up working very much. On top of all that one of my friends got frackin' alcohol poisoning so that put me out for a whole day while I was taking care of him.

So that's it. Those are my expieriences... hello again to Impy and Poe, sorry I have not kept up as much as I should be. I will have a high paying job soon, $13.00 an hour! :o That's a lot for me at least, so maybe I'll be able to come to more cons. Oh! I'm now living in my own place, so anything you want to send to decorate, I will proudly display!
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Vavrek
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Vavrek »

My name is Vavrek, from my father and his father before him. And allow me to say, I am always amazed when people in the "35 and up" age group talk about their life experiences. Seriously, the only thing I consider more incredible than that wealth of experience which I get exposed to from either my parents or the people here in the same age range (Early 50s) is the simple fact that I live in the 21st Century.

I'm rambling, because it's late and I don't expect to sleep tonight. Allow me to begin again.

My name is Vavrek, and I've been using it online since I signed up for my first email account when I was twelve or eleven. If you find my current email address or any of my IM accounts, it's pretty easy to guess my first and middle names. I'm 20 years old and I think one of the weirdest things about this upcoming year will be explaining to everyone that I don't have any interest in alcohol. Seriously, if you give me a choice between wine and grape juice, I will choose grape juice every time. Because it is awesome.

I found the works of The Almighty Poe via the MegaTokyo forums. One of the old Big Names around that place summarized the entire plot of Exploitation Now in a single post, rearranging it for different characters. (I don't remember if it was the MegaTokyo characters or people involved in the community at the time.) When I finished his post, I was hit by the strength of the story and followed the link to EN itself. It was one of those "read it as fast as I can" deals, and by the time I got to the end I was blown away by how amazing, tragic, and beautiful it was.

Some time later, I found Errant Story.

I don't know which character I identify with the most, but I'm certainly biased towards Sarine, my favorite. It's no surprise, considering how highly I value experience, as mentioned above. I'm also involved in a forum based roleplaying game that developed in the MegaTokyo forums back in 2001. Six years of world building later, the game's become an interesting place. (If anybody's interested, give me a poke and I'll tell you who to talk to.) Both of my main characters carry heavy inspirations from Sarine, along with all the other sources I draw on.


Like a number of people here and elsewhere on the interwebs, I have a moderate interest in anime. I got introduced to it by my brother, who got into it when he was maybe 12. That means I was at best eight years old when I started seeing things like Ghost In The Shell and Akira. I didn't really get into it until I was around fifteen, however, and he sat me down for an episode of Cowboy Bebop on Adult Swim.

Atypically for anime fans, I hold no special love of Japan. There's a lot of anime out there which I've heard is good, which I've had recommended to me by people with reliable tastes, that I just can't stand because of how much the show works off modern Japanese television culture. It's no surprise that shows like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Ghost In The Shell are my favorites, because their style doesn't rely heavily on anything I couldn't get growing up in the 'States. Europe, however, fascinates me and I'd love to visit sometime.


To wrap it up, two last details. I'm a college student, technically in my first year because I took some time off. Not sure which major will hold my interest the best, what field I want to try for, but I've got a strong suspicion I'll be heading for a Graduate degree eventually. And secondly, I'm trying to get myself to be more active in the Errant Story community. Back at the MegaTokyo forums, you need a good five thousand posts to be someone who is notable "around" and not just a part of the background noise. (There are certainly exceptions.) But here, we've got this nice, small community, and a brand new forum to play around in. Look forward to seeing me around more. I hope you enjoy what I have to say.


PS. Holy crap this is long. This is what happens when I can't sleep.
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Cigar
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Cigar »

I wasn't sure if this would be an appropriate place to put this or not, but here goes!

My name is Ethan. I live in Montana. I like to write and perform music, listen to music, write short stories, conceive epics, read comic books AND regular books, ride my dirtbike, drink, smoke, and just shoot the breeze with my friends. I have an easy job that I hate, and hate not being able to complain about it.

Errant Story is one of many webcomics I read, but its probably my favorite. (Jack comes in close second).

Instruments I play:
Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Banjo, Hawaiian Slide Guitar, Cigar-Box Guitar, Dobro, Harmonica, Mandolin, Violin, Trombone, and the magical Jew Harp.

My Personality:
Its hard to place...the closest you could get is that I'm the class clown; I make people laugh, but piss people off who end up being the ass-end of my joke. I have a habit of being vicious with people who don't really deserve it, but I have no conscience, so its all good. :twisted:

My Favorite Music:
I can't really say; I listen to everything. From Dvorak to Run DMC. From the Beastie Boys to the Beatles. From Skip James to Mogwai. From the Unicorns to Nirvana. I give all music a chance.

My Favorite Movies:
The Silence of the Lambs, Dawn of the Dead, Pulp Fiction, Tremors, This Is Spinal Tap, The Blues Brothers, Clerks I &; II, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Dogma, Reservoir Dogs, Platoon, Casablanca, the Brave Little Toaster, Oklahoma!, Camelot, Mallrats, Full Metal Jacket, Tombstone, Planet Terror, Death Proof, Batman, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Jackie Brown, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Big Lebowski, Natural Born Killers.

Favorite Television Shows:
Metalocalypse, 12 Oz. Mouse, Robot Chicken, South Park, Invader Zim, SNL, Full House, Roseanne, Sanford and Son, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Three's Company, CNN, that 70s Show, Scrubs, My Name Is Earl, Frisky Dingo, the Office.

My Favorite books:
1984, Animal Farm, The Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Prey, Hyperion, Endymion, Atlas Shrugged, A Clockwork Orange, the Crucible, The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon, Hannibal, Hannibal Rising, the Harry Potter Series, The Count of Monte Cristo, Stranger in a Strange Land, Crusader, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fountainhead.

My Heroes:
John Lennon, Jim Morrison, James Hetfield, Will Smith, Anthony Hopkins, Kurdt Kobain, Jim Gaffigan, Sean Connery, Denis Leary, Elvis, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Nathan Explosion, William Murderface, Pickles, David Gilmour, BB King, Frank Sinatra, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russel.

My Favorite Games:
Diablo II, Twilight Princess, Metal Gear Solid, Bioshock, and Tekken 3.

I really look forward to talking with all of you, but right now, I need sleep!
Last edited by Cigar on March 18th, 2008, 11:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Imp-Chan
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Imp-Chan »

Hi Cig! Yes, this is the perfect place to put that, and welcome to the forums.

Also, wow... I haven't read Jack in years, I ought to go find it again.

^-^'
Because scary little devil girls have to stick together.
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Shteven
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Shteven »

Vavrek wrote:I'm 20 years old and I think one of the weirdest things about this upcoming year will be explaining to everyone that I don't have any interest in alcohol. Seriously, if you give me a choice between wine and grape juice, I will choose grape juice every time. Because it is awesome.
I never drank until I was of legal age, 21. Since then (I'm 25 now) I think I've had...3 drinks? Maybe 4. No, I wasn't too drunk to remember them, I swear. One for my 21st birthday, one for a friend's wedding (we all had a shot of tequila)...that sort of thing. Alcohol doesn't interest me either - so basically, you're not alone. Keep being you.
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Stick & String
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Stick & String »

Cigar wrote:I wasn't sure if this would be an appropriate place to put this or not, but here goes!

My name is Ethan. I live in Montana.


Well howdy neighbor!

Where abouts in Montanta?
South of that border myself, but in Mt alot, even pulled a degree out of MSU.



Now a quick bio for myself:

Just another person. trying to keep politicians from destroying my life. Love archery. A disabled veteran. Cranky and somewhat mean personality of late. Hope to change that with an upcoming knee surgery (march 27, a total knee replacement). I am under 50, so getting that knee has been hell, as well as the pain the pesent condition is causing. Not a vegetarian, I eat meat, and usually kill it and process it myself. I am not a greenie (enviromentalist), but consider myself a steward of the land and wildlife, and got to lengths to take care of what I can, and I dare say probably more than the average greenie.
Several degrees and a couple of careers under the belt, just waiting for 3 pensions to be eligible to be drawn.
I used to play the saxaphone, but no longer due to lack of full use of my hands. I can still play the french horn, but why the hell I would want to now is a big question, as I am not in an orchestra (so I don't!). I half learned to play steel guitar, but again, my hands now get in the way.
I enjoy a wide variety of music, literature, and some films (ones of late are pretty well BS, or hack political statements, or remakes of classics).

I like Mr Poe's work, and have been following it for a few years now. I have others on my favorites list, but ES is one I look forward to viewing. Dug the heck out of EN too, and hoping someday to see more Babylon Jones (favorite character). I even have one of the old rincewind (whatever his name is/was) colored images of Babs for a wallpaper of my cell phone. Link to it, but I do not post it or share it, except for the link here.

So, lots more about me you are not going to see. I do sorta like to keep to myself. No biggie, it is just how I am.

Well, later and all, I am off to clean my fish tanks. Oh yeah, I raise Loaches as well. I eat trout...
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Imp-Chan
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Imp-Chan »

Stick and String, have you ever read The River Why? If not, you should. I bet you'd love it.

Which brings to mind how we desperately need a book recommendations thread, too.

^-^'
Because scary little devil girls have to stick together.
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Vavrek
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Re: Getting to know you...

Post by Vavrek »

@Shteven:

Nice to know I'm not alone, I guess, though I half expect I'll break your record on drinks by the end of this summer. Well, maybe, at any rate, since I'll sample nearly anything and I'm incredibly curious. It's just, every time, it ends up "This would be good, if it didn't taste like nail polish remover..."
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