Meme'd

Several people have tagged me with the "25 things" meme, so I figured I'd satisfy the adoring masses:

1. I’m a science fiction geek. My favorite Star Trek series is The Next Generation and I’ve seen every episode at least twice. I also like Star Wars and Return of the Jedi is finishing up on my TV as I write this. I’ve even gone as far as to draw up deck plans for starships… Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson is one of my favorite books.
2. My favorite genre of music is Country, much to the chagrin of my family and my co-workers. I do also like Classic Rock and some Oldies, so I can usually find something mutually pleasing to the people around me.
3. Tests show that I’m allergic to peanuts, but I’ve never had a problem eating them. My kids, however...
4. My family is very involved politically, and I have some strong political convictions, though I’m not very vocal about them... usually.
5. I would play Rock Band until my arms fell off if I was ever uninterrupted for a long enough period. I never am though (darnit).
6. I used to play first-chair alto saxophone in the high school band… while in elementary school. I’ve done solos and performances. I still have my sax and could probably play it, but not very well anymore.
7. I’ve driven 157mph. In a car. On the road. In real life.
8. I’ve lived completely on my own since I was 19, except for a few months living with an aunt and uncle while looking for a place after moving to CO.
9. I’ve slept in the bottom of the Grand Canyon and on 14,000 ft mountain peaks in Colorado.
10. I almost never dream while sleeping.
11. Unlike my dad, mom and brother, I don't wear glasses or contacts. My vision is 20/15.
12. I started programming computers in BASIC in the third or fourth grade. I got my first C compiler before graduating elementary school. I would design simple games with my brother and then write them. One early Christmas I painstakingly programmed several Christmas carols to play over the 3-voice music synthesizer on a TI-99/4a. My whole extended family was present for the concert.
13. I love cycling and enjoy commuting to work by bicycle when I have the time.
14. A friend and I nearly died climbing down cliffs while lost in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico. My Ham Radio was useless in the mountains. We had to abandon our equipment and wade through a torrent of snow melt runoff. After finding our way to a highway, we had to hitchhike for 17 miles to get back to my car, which had a flat tire.
15. I’ve worked at McDonalds, CompUSA, an indoor minigolf place, and as a self-employed consultant.
16. My dad, mom, sister and brother all have a college or trade degree. I don’t, though not for lack of trying. I just kept getting hired away from school...
17. I’ve been to Mexico several times and Canada, but I’d really love to see parts of every other continent.
18. I’ve been skydiving and loved it. If I were independently wealthy and didn’t have kids, I’d make a hobby out of it.
19. My love of electronics goes hand-in-hand with my love of computers. In elementary school, I walked around with a 40-pin IC in my pocket. I etched my own circuit boards and built an adjustable power supply in junior high. I built a turbo timer and air/fuel ratio indicator for my Supra. I was the only kid I knew with an o-scope.
20. I’ve logged a few hours towards my private pilot’s license. I’d love to complete it despite the impracticality.
21. My faith in Jesus Christ has affected nearly every part of my life in some way.
22. When I proposed to my (now) wife, I arrived 3 hours before I was supposed to, snuck up behind her and surprised her while holding the open ring box. When she whirled around she knocked the ring out of my hand. I had to crawl around on the floor for a few minutes to find it. We’ve been married eight years as I write this.
23. I had lunch with Curt Schilling of the Boston Red Sox when he was interested in having me join the team at his game studio, 38 Studios. Good guy, but I respectfully declined.
    
24. I have a pencil stab wound in my hand that is still visible after 15 years.
    
25. I collect Ultimate Collector Series LEGOs. The models in my office at work total over 15,000 bricks alone.

UOForums Interview

UOForums asked me for an interview a while back. I finally obliged:

What has been your most memorable accomplishment in your career?

Making Technical Director before 30? :) Getting hired by Origin is probably the most memorable accomplishment as it was my first gig in the game industry. It was an amazing experience: I got to meet and work with the people behind the names on the forum that I idolized. The whole experience was surreal.

Tsk, tsk, Microsoft

This is awesome.

Thousands of Zune portable media players made by Microsoft Corp. suddenly froze up early Wednesday, Dec. 31, labeling Internet wits to label the phenomenon "Z2K."

It goes without saying that I'm quite happy with my iPod Touch and iPhone, neither of which locked up at 12:01am yesterday.