Meet the Forumites

[Mike Solli]

I finally got around to reading this thread. Here goes:

Job: Full time - Government contractor, Part time (yeah, right) - Ohio National Guard logistician

Age: 51 (and near retirement - 5 years I hope)

Residence: Central Ohio

Family: 1 wife of almost 29 years, 21 yr old son - college senior, graduates in Dec (yay!), 18 yr old daughter (college freshman - [:(]), 4 cats - Samwise, male, part maine coon and huge, Smartie - old fart female, Puff - middle aged female and eats like she wants to look like a maine coon, Josie - crazy youngster female, 1 male (I think) turtle - Perry (as in OH Perry, but he's an aquatic turtle), 1 female cockateel (Kiki - she hates guys, 1 female horse - Sterling, my daughter rode her for years but is done now that she is in college - sold at the end of the month, bittersweet - I like her but hate both ends, if you know what I mean.

Education: BS Entomology (that's bugs, if you're interested) The Ohio State University, MS Entomology (that's bugs, if you didn't read the first entry) The Ohio State University again, too many Army schools to count.

Work: Civilian logistician, military logistician, university scientist and teacher in a former life.

Favorite Quote: Nothing except a battle lost can be half as melancholy as a battle won. Sir Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Reading: The Forever War, Joe Haldeman - I have read this at least annually since I was 18. My favorite SF book.

[obvert]

Education: BS Entomology (that's bugs, if you're interested), MS Entomology

That's great! You learned how to move stuff around from ants, the best movers on the planet! [:)]

My Dad did an MA in Parasitology, so we spent a lot of Saturdays looking at insects and things under microscopes. Fun as a kid, not as fun to travel to India with! Suddenly very little seemed edible, except me. [:)]

[Bill Durrant]

Job: Retired Police Detective now Consultant
Age: 48
Residence: Oxford, UK
Family: Divorced, 2 kids late teens
Education: MA War Studies, Kings College, London
Work: Anti Money Laundering
Favourite quote: "Ask me if I care?"
Reading: Game of Thrones series

[montgomeryjlion]

Job: Writer/Historian/Professor (Yes, you can make a living out of it, if you spread yourself a bit)
Age: In my sons' words, "John Denver, younger than the mountains, older than the trees."
Residence: Born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, official residence Capetown, South Africa, currently co-habbing with the Wife in Washington, DC while she finishes up her 2nd Doctorate in Psychology
Family: The a-forementioned Wifey, one son, currently serving in the Royal Artillery, gleefully blowing things up.
Education: Taught to fight by the Rhodesian Army, taught to kill by the United States Marine Corps, taught History at Oxford.
Work: Reading, Writing, occasionally, when I have to and my Graduate assistants are out, teaching.
Favorite Quote: "All I want is a little Piece..." - Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be
Reading: 19th century European History, par usual. since I'm writing a book on it.

[ilovestrategy]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

I'll go with whichever author can get to the point faster..... [;)]

Oh man, no joke.

[Hortlund]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

My opponent is very erratic.  He sends the combat replay file, but not the turn file.  So I get half an idea of what's going on, but then have to wait for hours to get the full picture.  In the meantime, I just relax and chill, because I'm that kinda guy.  On the other hand, I get the feeling that my opponent is one of those Swedish guys that waits for the temperature to finally break 65 degrees for the first time (usually around August 7) and then wears a Speedo to a rocky beach on the Baltic Coast while dreaming of Jamaica, Barbados or Aruba.

We had a snowstorm today. A snowstorm in the middle of April I tell you. I dont think its too hard to figure out why the vikings were so pissed off all the time. Id go to Lindsfarme myself right now if I had a ship, just to get away from this bloody weather.

[Mac Linehan]

Lady and Gentlemen -

What a thoroughly enjoyable experience to work through this thread - and learn a little background about each one of you.

Job: School Bus Driver Extraordinaire. What I thought to be a very temporary, unimportant form of employment in 1997 has turned out to be a wonderful experience that has given me virtually everything I ever hoped for. I work 10 months out of the year in a mobile office on wheels that offers a beautiful (and constantly changing!) view of the Colorado mountains and landscapes, (almost) complete independence to think on my own (ofttimes a rare experience these days), with 35 to 55 terrific kids / young adults with whom I have established a very firm bond - based on respect, trust and affection. Throw in a four hour midday break, no work on weekends and more school holidays each year than the Marine Corps ever gave me during my entire career - well then; I am having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have.

While the high school and middle school students are enjoyable to drive, it is the elementary kids who are a joy to have on-board. As I have a MP3 player with an iTrip antenna, we are able to play my (or any of the kid's iPods) MP3 and enjoy a wide range of music - from Journey / Beatles to Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is currently at the top of the list with the elementary kids, we listen to her music often. I probably have all of her songs memeorized... It is very hard to say "no" to a favorite student (who loves her bus driver), when asked to listen to "Love Story", yet again.

Summers: Driving a rafting bus for a top notch kid's camp at 9000 feet in Buena Vista Colorado. Beautiful hot summer days, lots of reading while waiting for the rafters to show up - with the ice chest withing arm's reach. Crystal clear starry nights (no city nearby). Life is good...

Age: 59 nuclear free spins around the sun, and I am just getting started.

Residence: Highlands Ranch Colorado, a suburb of Denver.

Family: A First Class Wife, who is razor sharp, a brainiac, workaholic, who has a high tolerance for books, games and, of course, more books and games - and she loves me. I am blessed.

One son (22), one daughter (21). One Greyhound.

Education: USN 1971 - 1981. USMC 1982 - 1992. School of Hard Knocks. No regrets - I wanted adventure and I got what I asked for. As for the USMC - there is no better finishing school.

Work: Caring for and loving on those awesome kids that have been entrusted to my care. If you think that I am a bit silly and goofy on this forums, you should see me on the school bus. We tend to focus on the important stuff - like reading " I Crocodile", or "I wanna Iguana". Or movies such as "Madagascar" and "Tangled". I sometimes spend part of my weekend memorizing chunks of dialog for the kids...

Athletics: No talent for: Baseball, Football, Basketball etc. (you get the picture..) Lets just say that in school, I was always one of the last ones to be picked for a team <sigh>.

However, since 1977: Long distance swimming, 3k to 4k - four and five days a week. Bus Driving is the only job I have ever had that gave me a solid chunk of time in the middle of the day (every body else is at work and hard at it) to accomplish that goal.

Note: Years ago, while in my 20's, I would call myself the self styled "human seal". Sadly, 30 years later and due to bodily configurational changes (I am a bit wider now..), I am now the "human walrus"... <grin>

Favorite Quote: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in all We Do." USMC

Reading: This is a hard one. No TV or radio in my life, the last movie I went to see in a theater was "The Incredibles" in 2004 (outstanding movie, by the way). So - only reading. As virtually everyone who peruses this forum has read extensively on a wide range of subjects (and I will add many of your listed titles to my "read list"), I will stick with the last military history read: "Dreadnought" and it's sequel "Castles of Steel" by Robert Massie.

OK. That's it for now. Reading this thread has only increased my admiration and respect for those who have posted their backgrounds. You are an amazing group of individuals - I am honored and humbled to be considered a participant.

Mac

[LargeSlowTarget]

Job: Customer Support / Fraud Management for an online distributor of pc games
Age: 38
Residence: near Paris, France (but I'm a "boche")
Family: 1 wife, 2 clowns (both boys, 6 and 7...)
Education: studied long-term unemployment (modern history) and universal dilettantism (geography)
Work: 8 days a week - there is no 'supply cap' on stupid questions...
Favorite Quote: "If you make something idiot-proof, nature develops better idiots."
Reading: in the backpack for the train ride from/to work: Hornfischer: Neptune's Inferno, on the nightstand: Bernard Fall: Street without joy, in the bathroom: Douglas Reeman (aka Alexander Kent): "Signal - Close Action!"

Funny, with Historiker and VSWG I'm the third "historian-switched-to-IT" guy from Germany.

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Family: 1 wife of almost 29 years, 21 yr old son - college senior, graduates in Dec (yay!), 18 yr old daughter (college freshman - [:(]), 4 cats - Samwise, male, part maine coon and huge, Smartie - old fart female, Puff - middle aged female and eats like she wants to look like a maine coon, Josie - crazy youngster female, 1 male (I think) turtle - Perry (as in OH Perry, but he's an aquatic turtle), 1 female cockateel (Kiki - she hates guys, 1 female horse - Sterling, my daughter rode her for years but is done now that she is in college - sold at the end of the month, bittersweet - I like her but hate both ends, if you know what I mean.

My sister has always loved horses. When her career started bringing in good money, she started buying horses. Last I heard she had 14 of them. Her goal is to breed the perfect trail horse by cross breeding gaited horses with quarter horses.

She doesn't talk to the rest of the family much anymore, so I don't know how many horses she has or how the breeding project is going.

I was OK with horses and rode them some when I was around, but they aren't my passion and servicing both ends is a lot of work. I was involved in moving her compost pile once. We had a skip loader and it took all day. And that was when she just had 6 horses.

Bill

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Job: Customer Support / Fraud Management for an online distributor of pc games
Age: 38
Residence: near Paris, France (but I'm a "boche")
Family: 1 wife, 2 clowns (both boys, 6 and 7...)
Education: studied long-term unemployment (modern history) and universal dilettantism (geography)
Work: 8 days a week - there is no 'supply cap' on stupid questions...
Favorite Quote: "If you make something idiot-proof, nature develops better idiots."
Reading: in the backpack for the train ride from/to work: Hornfischer: Neptune's Inferno, on the nightstand: Bernard Fall: Street without joy, in the bathroom: Douglas Reeman (aka Alexander Kent): "Signal - Close Action!"

Funny, with Historiker and VSWG I'm the third "historian-switched-to-IT" guy from Germany.

Do you work for EA? I love that company, it has granted me a press account [:D]

I hope to be back in History, soon, to get my PhD and then to teaching in the US [:)]

[PeteG662]

I believe AW1Steve started something like this a few years ago when he was in the DC area

Job: Management Analyst
Age: 50
Residence: Northern Virginia
Family: Yep, SO and a few leftover kids from the seven
Education: Florida based - BA in history (so I could be an officer in the Army) and an MPA (so I could have a career after the military)
Work: 9 out of every 14, government has been good to work for especially in this traffic congested area
Favorite Quote: "Anyone wanting to get on, get the hell on; anyone wanting to get off, get the hell off; any complaints see the beotch in the kitchen"
Reading: Economist every week! The forum when the military servers allow access

[LargeSlowTarget]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Do you work for EA? I love that company, it has granted me a press account [:D]

I hope to be back in History, soon, to get my PhD and then to teaching in the US [:)]

No, not EA - and you must be one of the few people who loves them:

http://consumerist.com/2012/04/congratu ... -2012.html


But we sell EA games (and games from many other publishers).

I am one of the lucky guys who has free access to hundreds of games, old classic and the brand-new stuff.

But well, apart from some "familiarization runs" I need for my job I hardly ever touch them - who needs other games when there is AE!

[Historiker]

Of course, Steam...

Well, they gave me a press account and treat me nicely. Whouldn't you like them, too, in my place?
I mean, you don't bite the hand that feeds you, right?

It's the same with the cigars I review. There are some companies that treat me very nicely. They can't buy me, but - of course - the treatment by a company doesn't stay unnotices. I try to find less harsh words for a really crappy cigar, so instead of "it is a crime to release that cigar", I may say "well, I'd propose some more changes in the mixture..."

Can you get me a Steam-Pressaccount as well? [;)]

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund

We had a snowstorm today. A snowstorm in the middle of April I tell you. I dont think its too hard to figure out why the vikings were so pissed off all the time. Id go to Lindsfarme myself right now if I had a ship, just to get away from this bloody weather.

Here too...

[LargeSlowTarget]

*sneer* Steam - no, missed again. I'm working for a French company (but it is not Ubisoft) - more per PM.

Mmh, nice play on words: Who needs EA when there is AE [:)]

[bilbow]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I figured the average age of Forumites might be 50 to 55, but based on the posts in here thus far it might be closer to 40 to 45.  It is encouraging to note so many young folks with a passion for history and strategy of this kind.

I'll have to move this back towards your original assumption.

Job- Solution design for #1 logistics industry multinational.
Age- 62
Residence- Concord NH, after a 20 year exile in Ohio
Family- Wife, 3 grown kids, 3 grandkids. Was 2 until this week.
Education- Tufts University
Reading- This forum

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Tallyman662

I believe AW1Steve started something like this a few years ago when he was in the DC area

And if you can dig it up, I believe it has an entry by CanoeRebel (you can run but you can't hide... [:D])

[ChezDaJez]

Job: Registered Nurse
Age: 57
Residence: Chehalis, WA
Family: Married 31 years to the same woman: 3 daughters, 1 son, 2 granddaughters, 3 grandsons
Education: ASN
Work: Currently Resident Care Manager at a local rehab facility, formerly 26 year Navy veteran (AWCS) with over 9000 hours in the P-3 Orion
Favorite Quote: 3 ot them...
"If you thought having kids was great, wait until you have grandkids!" Erma Bombeck
"You guys ready? Ok, let's Roll!" Todd Beamer on American Airlines flight 93
"I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." George W. Bush at Ground Zero
Reading: Nothing at the moment

[rockmedic109]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Job: Customer Support / Fraud Management for an online distributor of pc games
Age: 38
Residence: near Paris, France (but I'm a "boche")
Family: 1 wife, 2 clowns (both boys, 6 and 7...)
Education: studied long-term unemployment (modern history) and universal dilettantism (geography)
Work: 8 days a week - there is no 'supply cap' on stupid questions...
Favorite Quote: "If you make something idiot-proof, nature develops better idiots."
Reading: in the backpack for the train ride from/to work: Hornfischer: Neptune's Inferno, on the nightstand: Bernard Fall: Street without joy, in the bathroom: Douglas Reeman (aka Alexander Kent): "Signal - Close Action!"

Funny, with Historiker and VSWG I'm the third "historian-switched-to-IT" guy from Germany.

I loved the Alexander Kent books. I never read any of his other books but was a Richard Bolitho junkie for years...well, decades. Started at age 15 and I think I was 40 the last one I read. I still have the entire collection in my gun safe. About the time WITP came out. Funny that.

[wdolson]

The books are so treasured you keep them in a safe?

Bill