Very well. Let’s start with the essentials…
Age: Early to Late Thirties
Status: Married
Education: A good bit of Life Experience, Degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics
Profession: Connoisseur of Simple Pleasures
Interests: Science, technology, sociology, foreign affairs, computers and video games
Also Enjoys: Quiet walks, reflective solitude, the occasional game of chess or pinball, animals, board games, writing, thinking about ways to make stuff better, compiling lists of things
More About Me
Have you ever passed around one of those questionnaires, perhaps among friends or at the office…you know, the ones designed to help everyone get to know each other better. There’s a site I once used that had a similar feature. I’ve always enjoyed answering these things because they sorta make you think about what you like or what you’re about. For those interested in knowing a little more about me I’ve reposted them here – sort of like a short interview where you don’t actually get to pick the questions.
Ah hem. Ok, what would you like to know?
What’s your favorite book?
Hmm…This is a tough question. I don’t read much for pleasure, or in the way of novels. Let me get back to you on that one
Who’s your favorite musician or group?
Do I have to pick just one? Alright then – U2. Though I’m also a huge fan of Natalie Merchant, Alan Jackson, Bryan Adams, The Cranberries, George Strait, Bruce Springsteen, Enya, REM, Phil Collins and many others…
What’s your favorite movie?
Too many to list here. But if you’d really like to know head on over to the Assorted Favorites area. Look for a pdf document titled, “Fessic’s Favorite Movies” which should cover this one.
What’s your favorite food or cuisine?
Indian Food. If you’ve never tried Indian I recommend starting off with Chicken Tikka Masala with a side order of Naan (you can usually ask for a non-spicy or less spicy dish).
What’s your favorite sport?
Probably Baseball. I’m also rather fond of the Olympic Games…and a huge fan of good sportsmanship.
What country would you like to visit?
All of them
Who is your hero (real or fictional)?
Richard Wurmbrand; Charles Ingalls – as portrayed by Michael Landon; countless people who serve others without seeking acknowledgment for it
What was the most significant event in your life?
Finding out that God, through his Son Jesus Christ, had died for me…despite the fact that I have never, and still do not deserve such love and grace
What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to do?
Explore the ocean in a deep sea submersible
The Most Important Thing About Me
If there is one defining thing that cuts to the core of who I am, that is, who I hope to be as I pass briefly through this world, it is summarized in a post I wrote a few years ago – HERE.
The following passage of scripture from the book of Timothy is dear to my heart as well…
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:15-16
Further Insights
Just a small section set aside for questions, answers and other disclosures…as they strike me (you might be surprised at how much getting to know yourself helps others get to know you)
What’s the deal with this Morrowind Game?
Right. What is it about that game anyway. Is it my favorite game of all time perhaps? Am I affiliated with the design team? Do I have some sort of financial arrangement with the publisher? In fact, none of these is the case. Maybe we should start with the basics to give you a better idea of what it’s all about…
Back in 2002 Bethesda Softworks (a game company) released the third installment in a series – The Elder Scrolls, called Morrowind. It’s a fantasy themed Role-Playing Game which came out for the PC (then later for the XBox). In or around 2005 I discovered this game and was immediately hooked. Now, if you don’t already know I’m an avid ‘gamer’ who grew up playing, and still very much enjoys playing video games. And as you’ll find out in future postings I enjoy quite a wide range of games. But there was something about this particular game that had great appeal for me. Actually, it was two things. First, Morrowind was designed as an open-ended world meant to give the Player Character virtually unlimited freedom to explore, engage NPCs (Non-Player Characters), and follow (or not follow) the main storyline. Furthermore, the game world is populated with a broad range of factions, each with their own agendas. The disposition of faction members shifts relative to your character’s relationship with each guild – and it isn’t always obvious to which faction a given NPC belongs…which makes for an interesting dynamic. The second, and probably most significant, thing about Morrowind is that the creators included a built-in Construction Set, enabling players to create their own content for the game. It was around this feature that a vibrant and active community quickly evolved into something quite remarkable. Modders, as they were called, were able to upload their creations to a central repository where they would remain freely available to other players – who could then download and add the new content to their own game. This model opened up immense possibilities for virtually limitless variations (and expansion) of the already expansive core game. Given the previously mentioned nonlinear way in which your character is engaged with the game world this made for an amazing degree of potential customization. And that, for me, was the true appeal of the game.
In a way it became a kind of exercise in crafting (through the work of so many talented modders) my own idealized version of what the Morrowind world should be; the result being a near fully realized virtual fantasy world. As it turned out I spent far more time browsing through, downloading and testing user created mods than actually playing the game. All along the way I kept thinking that once I’d assembled just the right combination of mods the game would be ‘complete’ and I could finally embark upon the main quest. But in reality it was the process itself that held the greatest appeal.
And so my own version of the game continued taking shape. Along the way I had spent many enjoyable hours cataloging various well made user created mods, quests and other custom content that I soon felt compelled to share it with others. The “Morrowind” folders you see here are the fruits of that desire – and hopefully a small but worthwhile contribution to the community spirit of fellow gamers who have enjoyed the same fascinating game world.
While it may seem so when you first arrive, Morrowind isn’t actually my favorite game – or a significant part of my life. In fact, I haven’t played it in some time and probably wouldn’t even recommend it for most gamers. But it was, for it’s part, a special game (an experiment really) that for a brief time became a whole hobby unto itself, and one example of what makes video games such an enjoyable pastime for me.
If you’re a parent or a gamer be sure to read the extended version of this post HERE. Once you arrive scroll down to the section titled, ‘A Special Note to Parents and Casual Gamers‘ for some important additional info.
Where do you find the time for all these projects? You must have like no life.
You know, you’re mostly right. And a perfectly fair observation that. Truthfully, I don’t have much of a life, at least not in the traditional sense. I have very few friends (though you should understand I hold to a very old fashioned connotation of the word). Although I understand the importance of social networking and yada yada, I’ve come to conclude in the last several years it just isn’t for me. At least not now. And, I don’t watch television. You might be surprised how much time one has for other things when television isn’t part of your life. This has been the case for years now. And I don’t miss it a bit. So, without all the commitment involved in socializing, entertaining guests or vegging out on the boob tube, I guess you could say I do have time for other things. You have no idea how many projects and ideas are rattling around in my brain on any given day. I could probably fill four or five of these blog sites. But the honest truth is I like it this way. I’m an extremely introverted person who pretty much always has something on his mind. I thoroughly enjoy tinkering with my various projects, writing or thinking about issues and topics of interest, or simply enjoying an intelligent conversation whenever one happens along.
