only place in town that sold gaming stuff. They actually had a pretty good stock of the TSR line, including Top Secret, Star Frontiers, Dawn Patrol and Gamma World, so I spent lots of time there after school and even begged my parents to drop me off there if they had other shopping to do.
One day while paging through the latest Dragon magazine, I came across an ad for GenCon. I had never heard of a convention before, but it sounded cool. I then realized that it took place not five miles from my house. I grew up in Kenosha, WI. At that time, GenCon was being held at the University of Wisconsin Parkside. TSR and D&D were born in Lake Geneva, which was about 50 miles away. So that August, I hopped on my bike and rode to Parkside. OH MY GOD!!! I had never expected it to be like this. Thousands of people... gamers! Hundreds of games! Comic books! Clothing! Dice! Swords! SciFi and Fantsay Art! It was too much! I ran from booth to booth looking at everything and getting more excited with every stop. I had found home. My own personal mecca. Unfortunately, being about 12 year old then, I had very little money. I knew I would have to get some for next time. And long term... a job to support my future hobby/habit.
A couple of years later, high school. While still in 8th grade, I went to meet with the guidance counsular at the private school my parents were going to send me to. He asked me that question that all guidance consulars ask, "What do you want to do with your life?" I told him quite flatly and straight-of-face, "I want to be a stunt man." The Fall Guy was one of my favorite TV shows at the time and it looked like a cool job. I wasn't joking with him, but he laughed. When he saw my face and the look of total seriousness, the laugh went away and a look of confusion crossed his. He thought for a minute and then replied, "Well, we have a theatre department." My response was, "Close enough... it'll get me started."
Enter my career. After going to school for theatre and music, I spent some time working for a dinner theatre in the area. After that, doing theatrical installs for a company in Milwaukee. In 1995 I hit the road, touring with broadway shows such as The King and I, West Side Story, Jekyll and Hyde, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Cats. I even landed a gig on Spiderman Live, which was a touring stunt show. I'm now one of the house carpenters at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Florida. I never got to be a stuntman, but this is a lot less dangerous. :)
Games and geekdom have been a part of me throughout my life. I have been to 26 GenCons, 3 Origins, 4 Winter Fantsy Cons, 2 Gamefest Cons and many other smaller local cons. I left behind a bunch of great gaming friends in WI, but I have found many new one's in Tampa. Janine, my girlfriend of six years, has been extremely tolerant of my hobby and I love her that much more for it. She even... on occasion... offers to play with me.
Well, I guess that's it in a nutshell. GAME ON!!! |
