Who Am I?
Christian
First and foremost, I am a Christian. That is to say, I strive to honor Christ in all I do. (Unfortunately, many are Christians "in name-only" because it serves their own purposes.) I attend and participate actively at Victory Baptist Church. This includes the choir, a van route for mobility-limited individuals and some kids (we have two buses, but these kids are a good ways from the other routes), and compiling the weekly TV show.
The Victory Baptist Church television program can be seen Sundays at 6:30PM and 9:30PM on Living Faith Television. This is on WLFG in the TriCities, which is channel 68 on Dish Network. The station is also streamed online and services a number of other areas - see their website for details.
For more information on what a Christian is, see here for how one becomes a Christian, and here for the basics of what we believe.
Background
I was trained in principles, standards which do not change even when society does. Things like that it's always right to do right, because it is right, not just when it's also happens to be popular. And that it's never right to do wrong, even if you mean well. And that the Bible is always true, even when you may not understand; it's your understanding that lacks, not God's Word. You cannot pick and choose the parts you want to believe - God wrote the entire Bible, not just the parts you like. Or to put it another way, do you trust God, or do you just say that you trust God?
Computer Support
I was until recently a "Network Analyst" for a local manufacturing company. Unfortunately, they are largely tied to the automotive industry. Many people were laid off, and I am looking for a replacement job. While I was with the company only a few years, I have performed similar roles with a variety of companies since 1993.
I have most of my work experience in supporting computer users, but I have also served as a network administrator, network engineer, and programmer in several languages. I enjoy work and I enjoy computers and technology, but as you can see here, it is not "my life".
Recreation
I enjoy a variety of games, including board games, video games, card cames, and casual sports.
HeroClix tournaments are usually held each Saturday at several local stores. Prizes are often provided by
WizKids, the manufacturer of the game.
I also like doing things with friends or my family. I am not married, but my parents live about 9 miles away and I try to do something with them weekly. (My three cats are my at-home family.)
Good Deals
I like getting good deals. Not "cheap", just paying a lot less than the item normally sells for. Things like HDMI cables for $5 that sell at Wal-Mart for $40 or an LG Blu-ray reader / DVD burner combo drive for $125. See my
Good Deals page for some good websites.
Other Interests
I also like:
• Transformers. The toys, the comic books, the animated TV shows (some are better than others...), the movies, etc. G.I. Joe is a closely related property, but I generally only follow the TF/Joe crossover comics. Though the G.I. Joe movie (yes, it's live action) due later this year looks like it may be good. It's directed by the same guy as the action-but-clean "Mummy" movies, Stephen Sommers. Oh, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is scheduled for theaters on June 26th.
• Video games. But not first person shooters - they make me nauseated. I like multiplayer games, but not with monthly payments. And while I like games, I don't actually play that much.
• Science fiction, like Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate SG1/Atlantis, Heroes, Kyle XY, Doctor Who, and anything else that's written decently. Oh, and Transformers... (Not the new BSG so much - it's too dark.)
• Any other well-written fiction, or entertaining non-fiction for that matter. I like "chick flicks" and own While You Were Sleeping", among others. And "The Princess Bride" is probably my all-time favorite. Not so much for sitcoms though - they're usually minidless. I like "The Big Band Theory" - it's a good show, despite using the name of a disproven idea. I don't like excess sexuality (wih or without nudity) or juvenile humor (which is why I don't like most "comedy"). Give me a good storyline, and maybe have some reasonable technology (whether or not the theories have been proven, just not fully disproven), some action (yes, the Mummy movies again, or X-Men, Lord of the Rings, or Chronicles of Narnia), and maybe some (clean) romance (While You Were Sleeping, The Net, any of Jane Austen's stuff). Hey, look - "The Princess Bride" covers all of these! Well, if you count "magic" as "experimental pharmacology"... :)
• Cats. Including my three, two brothers and a sister that somebody dropped off at church when they were about 5 weeks old, about 3 1/2 years ago. They are all tabbies, one orange/white (Goldbug), one light orange/white (Creamsicle), and one with some orange, yellow, white, brown, black, and about any other color to some degree, but mostly dark (TigerKitty). My parents have a kitteny Maine Coon, a gray dustmop of a cat named Bella.
• Spending time with friends (as indicated above under "Recreation", usually at church or in church-related activities.
Disclaimers
I am not, so far as I know, related to either Michael J. Pollard (the actor) or the British race car driver (at ".net").
And I do not meet many of the "nerd" stereotypes - I live on my own, not with my parents and not in an apartment (I own my home, thankyouverymuch), and I don't play video games, much. Though I do like technology, have several computers, collect toys, read comic books... OK, the term "geek" might apply... but one who likes chick flicks too...
If you want to meet me, since as I hinted above, I am single, you can email me. But the best way is to come to church; that's what I'll recommend anyway. You can see me from a distance and decide if you still want to meet me closer up...
And if you aren't willing to come to my church, things probably wouldn't work out anyway. The exception is if you are busy in yours as I am in mine.
