(no subject)
There is a question game going around again. If you want me to ask you questions, comment here. You can answer here or in your own journal.
If you want to continue the game, go ahead.
This isn't the initial wording, but I don't always play by the rules.
These questions are from ianhess
1. What initially got you into game programming?
Bad management. Seriously. I was working in the Boston area, for a company that did healthcare quality analysis. A great idea fairly well implemented, run by a coalition of managers that make Dilbert's pointy-haired boss look good. My particular infestation practiced what I have come to call 'management by degradation'. Given that most software developers think well of their own abilities and have a lot of self-image investment in this perception, you can, for a short time, get extreme levels of motivation by insulting your staff. They will then work like dogs to prove you wrong, until they either break or leave. At the time of my exit, I had let my hair grow out until it almost covered my ears. This is offensive in the sight of the PHB, and she commented during a team meeting that I could talk to customers if I either got a haircut or wore a dress.
I had a job offer about two hours later. I was angry enough that I let one of the company's administrative assistants find me a flight to the town where I could interview. I gave her my credit card and told her it was personal business; I'm pretty sure she knew exactly what was going on.
At the time, my desire was to no longer be working for that boss. Getting into computer games hadn't been on my radar before that afternoon. Certainly moving to Texas wasn't part of any pre-planning. It was the job I could get fastest when I needed to get out.
2. Have you ever been in a non-sca/martial arts fight as an adult? If so, did your martial study translate well?
Yes, and both yes and no. I don't study martial arts for the purpose of defending myself from an attacker. What I get out of the study of martial arts is the pursuit of a difficult skill which can never be perfected, but which can be consistently and measurably improved. What I enjoy about the sparring practice in the SCA is that the skills are applied in a context where good sportsmanship - honor, to use the outmoded but highly appropriate word - is the foundation for the entire contest.
Physically defending myself is a very different mental space for me. I can draw on the physical skills learned in my various martial arts pursuits, but the key is dropping into a combat mindset. While that mindset has probably saved my life on at least on occasion, I really, really don't like it. The more I train in the SCA and the more I do Aikido the further I get from that mental space.
I don't do martial arts to defend myself from other people.
3. Where in the country would you like to live, all other factors being equal?
It's hard to answer this, because we've been talking about moving as a real possibility. I can't separate it into "all other things being equal" because the real differences are too hard to ignore.
I like the bay area. The cost of living and the associated commute lengths are the real drawbacks. Cost of living is what's making us consider a move.
I'd like to live near a warmer ocean. Florida, San Diego, and Hawai'i all have their appeals, though Hawai'i has no jobs for me.
I like rain. Florida and Seattle are in the running just for that.
I like living in a place where being a moderate democrat isn't considered a radical political stance. I know radical leftists; I'm not a radical leftist. Unless I live in Texas or some other Glenn-Beckistan location. In Texas I kept expecting a visit from HUAC.
4. What one thing would you change about the SCA if you could?
I'd like to be young enough to fight again at the pace you're keeping up now.
I wish the West kingdom didn't emphasize camping events quite so much.
I wish that some of the places I'd been (and I don't know if they've changed now) could have sent their senior fighters to the current West kingdom to get a quick course on what Chivalry means and how to do it. I really like the West. Some places I played, a big tube of preparation H would make half the order of chivalry disappear.
5. What kind of music do you listen to?
What time is it? I don't listen to opera, I don't listen to recordings of blues, jazz, or klezmer. Most of my playlist is pop, but I also listen to a fair amount of classical, celtic, and folk. I listen to some country - I sample a couple local stations and tune away again a lot. I listen to some hip-hop, mostly because of Christopher's dance experience. Again, I listen and tune away a lot.
My current playlist has a Annwn, Amy McDonald, Leonard Cohen, Santana, The Waifs, Capercaillie... you get the idea.
If you want to continue the game, go ahead.
This isn't the initial wording, but I don't always play by the rules.
These questions are from ianhess
1. What initially got you into game programming?
Bad management. Seriously. I was working in the Boston area, for a company that did healthcare quality analysis. A great idea fairly well implemented, run by a coalition of managers that make Dilbert's pointy-haired boss look good. My particular infestation practiced what I have come to call 'management by degradation'. Given that most software developers think well of their own abilities and have a lot of self-image investment in this perception, you can, for a short time, get extreme levels of motivation by insulting your staff. They will then work like dogs to prove you wrong, until they either break or leave. At the time of my exit, I had let my hair grow out until it almost covered my ears. This is offensive in the sight of the PHB, and she commented during a team meeting that I could talk to customers if I either got a haircut or wore a dress.
I had a job offer about two hours later. I was angry enough that I let one of the company's administrative assistants find me a flight to the town where I could interview. I gave her my credit card and told her it was personal business; I'm pretty sure she knew exactly what was going on.
At the time, my desire was to no longer be working for that boss. Getting into computer games hadn't been on my radar before that afternoon. Certainly moving to Texas wasn't part of any pre-planning. It was the job I could get fastest when I needed to get out.
2. Have you ever been in a non-sca/martial arts fight as an adult? If so, did your martial study translate well?
Yes, and both yes and no. I don't study martial arts for the purpose of defending myself from an attacker. What I get out of the study of martial arts is the pursuit of a difficult skill which can never be perfected, but which can be consistently and measurably improved. What I enjoy about the sparring practice in the SCA is that the skills are applied in a context where good sportsmanship - honor, to use the outmoded but highly appropriate word - is the foundation for the entire contest.
Physically defending myself is a very different mental space for me. I can draw on the physical skills learned in my various martial arts pursuits, but the key is dropping into a combat mindset. While that mindset has probably saved my life on at least on occasion, I really, really don't like it. The more I train in the SCA and the more I do Aikido the further I get from that mental space.
I don't do martial arts to defend myself from other people.
3. Where in the country would you like to live, all other factors being equal?
It's hard to answer this, because we've been talking about moving as a real possibility. I can't separate it into "all other things being equal" because the real differences are too hard to ignore.
I like the bay area. The cost of living and the associated commute lengths are the real drawbacks. Cost of living is what's making us consider a move.
I'd like to live near a warmer ocean. Florida, San Diego, and Hawai'i all have their appeals, though Hawai'i has no jobs for me.
I like rain. Florida and Seattle are in the running just for that.
I like living in a place where being a moderate democrat isn't considered a radical political stance. I know radical leftists; I'm not a radical leftist. Unless I live in Texas or some other Glenn-Beckistan location. In Texas I kept expecting a visit from HUAC.
4. What one thing would you change about the SCA if you could?
I'd like to be young enough to fight again at the pace you're keeping up now.
I wish the West kingdom didn't emphasize camping events quite so much.
I wish that some of the places I'd been (and I don't know if they've changed now) could have sent their senior fighters to the current West kingdom to get a quick course on what Chivalry means and how to do it. I really like the West. Some places I played, a big tube of preparation H would make half the order of chivalry disappear.
5. What kind of music do you listen to?
What time is it? I don't listen to opera, I don't listen to recordings of blues, jazz, or klezmer. Most of my playlist is pop, but I also listen to a fair amount of classical, celtic, and folk. I listen to some country - I sample a couple local stations and tune away again a lot. I listen to some hip-hop, mostly because of Christopher's dance experience. Again, I listen and tune away a lot.
My current playlist has a Annwn, Amy McDonald, Leonard Cohen, Santana, The Waifs, Capercaillie... you get the idea.