The April's interview : "Mighty Zeus"
! [color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6](>croak!<) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]This month Tormie went to Greece with the usual hard discount ticket of the "Banana Airlines" 
and now I'm on the top of mount Olympus [color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6](>croak!<) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6], in the apartments of Mighty Zeus, ready to interview him . It will be difficult for me to carry the microphone because Mighty Zeus was very angry 
for my little delay and turned me into a [color=green:1a6fb8c8a6]green frog [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]:crybaby: [color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6](>croak!<) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6][color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6](>croak!<) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]...
*sigh!* Now it's time to stop my moaning [color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6](>croak!<
) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6] and begin the interview !
The questions are from Tda42, Tdac, Pangor and me... (I guess if they are still humans now
)...
- Will you be striking any of us with a lightning bolt if you don't like one of
the questions?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Nah, but I am still looking to zap those lying gnomes that are hiding under your bed.
:ibrakeyou:[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Tell us a little about yourself...personal background, family, etc. What ever you are comfortable with.
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I was bourn in Lakeview Oregon in the United States. My mother and father worked for the government so as a child I was moved from place to place, never spending more than 2 months in a given area. As an adult I moved to Phoenix Arizona where I worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration as a field officer until I was shot in 1993 placing me on medical leave. I came to the town I live in now while on medical leave to visit my mother who retired here and decided to stay to help take care of her. ( She has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and needs someone around to help with things.) Hopefully I will be moving from this area pretty soon (in the next year or two) up to the Portland Oregon area. I went to work for my current company (SLADE Productions LLC which is a management firm for four smaller businesses) in 1998 and have been the company CEO for 3 years. I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world and I have three terrific children (As well as one great kid with an ex wife whom I don't refer to in such loving terms.) My wife and I are both members of several game oriented web sites the primary of which is Ladder Hall.com where I am one of the senior admins.[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Where are you now?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Sitting in my living room at the computer. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
-Why are you holding that lightning bolt?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I am waiting for those gnomes to poke their heads out. :ibrakeyou:[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Here we know that you rule two places: Ladderhall and the Hall of Olympus. Can you tell us something about them?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Actually I am an admin on about 5 web sites including AMF, Forever X, ClanGF, Valors Gate, Ladder Hall, and Mount Olympus. All but the last are all related to the Diablo II and Guild Wars games though Ladder Hall has grown from it's rough beginnings into a true community where people discuss everything from poetry, movies and art to an area that helps kids with their homework. I have friends there from all over the world, in fact some of my closest friends live in Warmabool Australia. Mount Olympus was actually started as a place for me to host sigs that people kept asking me to build for them. (In fact most of the senior staff at LH has a sig made by myself.) I later evolved it to display a number of my larger artworks. And I have since added a message board for people who want to drop in and shoot the breeze about art or just say hi. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Can you describe what you see from your favourite window ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] My favorite window was in my house that I owned in Prescott Arizona (I lived there for the last two months that I worked in Phoenix and commuted back and forth.) Looking out of my living room window was a pine forest that led down to a small brook where I would spend many hours fishing. My closest neighbor was over a mile away and I loved the peace and serenity of the place. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you like to live there ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Actually the community where I live is fairly nice. The people in the town are friendly and look out for one another. There is hardly any crime and you can actually feel safe leaving your doors unlocked at night. Geographically speaking it is a desert surrounded by beautiful mountains. The only thing I don't care for is that there is a marked lack of vegetation. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- There's a typical drink there ? Do you like it ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well in my house the drink of choice is Pepsi. (Although myself, I am trying to quit the stuff to loose weight.) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favorite food ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I am a huge seafood fan. My favorite meal is Rock lobster, King crab legs and Lobster and crab stuffed mushrooms. Luckily cooking seafood is also a specialty of mine. Other than that just about anything my wife cooks. She is a genius in the kitchen. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
([i:1a6fb8c8a6]Tormie asks for recipes[/i:1a6fb8c8a6]
)
- What do you do when you're alone, or when you think no one sees you?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I play my guitar. I have a 1936 f hole Gibson acoustic that I practice on. About the only person I play for is my daughter who loves to hear Puff the Magic Dragon. I don't usually sing around people as it sounds like a bagpipe being ran over by a steam roller.[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Could you please, put down that lightning bolt, it's making me nervous.
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Just lean a little to the left I think I see a gnome. :ibrakeyou:[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- How long have you been working with digital art, 3D and/or Poser?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well I have always been in the art field to some extent, wether it is doing foundry work, or airbrushing a buddies boat. I started doing digital work about 6 years ago with Bryce and enjoy both Cinema 4D and Poser. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Have you ever visited another continent?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Several actually. I have been to Germany, Ireland, England, Nicaragua , and Japan. I would like to visit Australia, Africa, and Russia sometime. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you consider yourself an artist or a hobbyist when it comes to digital art?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well either you are an artist or you are not. If you have it in you to build something creative then you are an artist. I consider myself as such. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you use a particular technique ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well it really depends on the piece but generally I get an idea of what the piece will be before I start and then try to make it match what I see in my mind. I also go by the adage the devil is in the details. The more detailed a piece is the better. The only other thing I can suggest is to keep one area as you center of focus and don't put anything in other areas to pull the eye away from it.[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What got you interested in digital art?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well really it was building sigs that got me started in digital art. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you use Posette Love /Dork for human characters in your pictures ? Why ? Why not Not talking ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Actually I do some of the times. I use my Mina character in a lot of pieces but there is a decided lack of good textures for Posette in general. Dork is a really good figure for a lot of different things but he has a real blank expression on his face that you cant do much about. All in all very good characters though. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you have formal training or are you self taught?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I actually have a degree in art though most of my training was in the more classical fields. I also paint in oils and acrylic and do sculpting and bronze work. Most of my training for digital art has been a learn as you go process. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favourite artistic style?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I would have to say that I am most impressed with pointillism paintings such as Maney though I also enjoy impressionism such as the works of Degas. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Mmm... An individual who said to be your closest friend told us something wrong about your works...
Can you tell us why he is still living ? What's for that right to carry a weapon if you only dust it ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Well I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion. Of course opinions are like backsides. Everyone has one and they usually stink. I learned a long time ago that the only person I can really please is myself. Everyone else either comes along for the ride or gets left behind. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
( [i:1a6fb8c8a6]Posy[/i:1a6fb8c8a6]:
)
- Do you have other hobbies or special interests?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Indeed, I enjoy rock climbing, hang gliding, deep sea fishing, and games of all types (except golf... I hate golf.) I am an avid reader with interests in the areas of geology, political science, and particle physics. I have been seen reading everything from adventure stories to operation manuals for tanks. ( I do a lot of military research.) [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Where is your strength coming from?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] There is an old saying The hotter the flame the stronger the steel. Lets just say that I didn't have the best childhood and leave it at that. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you play "Wolfenstein Enemy Territory" ? Tormie says that he will kick your a** to the moon if you challenge him...
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I haven't tried that one yet. I will have to give it a go. I should warn you though Tormie, Ladder Hall is a site for people who hack video games. I have never had a game for longer than three days that I didn't start cracking the codes on. Yet another of my philosophies: He who cheats... Wins. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
[i:1a6fb8c8a6](
Tormie opens a drawer and choose his favourite aimbot...)[/i:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Will you invite us at that big party at "mount Olympus"?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Mount Olympus is always a big party, and yes all of you are invited my dear friends. Tormie, bring those gnomes with you, I think I have found a way that I might get some use out of these golf clubs that I never use. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favourite digital art site ? (*wink* *wink* *blink* *blink* *bribe* *bribe*)
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] No bribes needed. Out of all of the sites I have ever visited for art this is the place I call home. People here are one big happy family and are more supportive of each others works than anyplace on the net. I have to hand it to all of you, you are a bunch of terrific people.[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
([i:1a6fb8c8a6]Tormie and Posy:
:heartbeat:[/i:1a6fb8c8a6] )
- Do you have a suggestion for posetteforever ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] hmmm... maybe a Pepsi machine in the clubhouse would be nice. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
[i:1a6fb8c8a6](Tormie passes this one to Guiltypleasures
)[/i:1a6fb8c8a6]
[color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6]---And now the questions that you waited for such a long time...---[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do your farts smell very bad
or no one notice when you make them 
?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Trust me... everyone notices. I went over to a buddies house to play cards one night and his wife made the mistake of feeding us both chilli. We wound up having a FART war in between us and the next day his wife reported that we had killed the houseplant that was in between us. (No kidding... true story.)
[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you FART alone or do you consider farting a nice way to mark the territory ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Generally I have pretty good control over where I pass gas. I try to maintain a civilized demeanor but there are times when the inner barbarian rules and I will FART indiscriminately. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Are you silent like a ninja or do you rule the show like a trombonist?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Ever hear a space shuttle launch?
[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you use to FART when you're in the tub just to see all those bubbles ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] I shower, but I learned a long time ago not to FART in confined spaces. Methane can kill.[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you use to burst those bubbles Sick ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6]
Umm... the day I can make bubbles in the shower by farting I will let you know. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
[color=darkred:1a6fb8c8a6]----------------------------[/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favorite book?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] CIA world book. (Accessible on line) Has more information about any country than you might ever guess. Though they seriously need to get a better cartographer as their maps suck. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favourite TV show ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] They unfortunately cancelled my favorite show. It was a show on the sci fi channel called Farscape [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favourite band or singer ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6]
This is the toughest question to date as I listen to just about everything (Except old country and western music... Yuck!) I would have to say that my favorite contemporary singer is Chad Kroeger and my favorite band would have to be Blues Traveler, though my favorite singer of all time is a toss up between Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darrin though Billy Joel, Jimmy Hendricks, and Phil Collins, run close seconds. I also am a big fan of ZZ top, Queen, Nickleback and Seal. Favorite composer would have to be Mussorgsky or perhaps Brahms. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Do you use to sing under the shower?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Nope, I sound horrible when I sing. [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- What's your favourite movie?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] The last Samurai, or Amistad [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
- Where you would go now ?
[color=blue:1a6fb8c8a6] Into the kitchen to get myself another ice tea. After that I am going to talk to some goblins about beating the crap out of those gnomes.:evil: [/color:1a6fb8c8a6]
Thank you Ace
72512
50450
5031
I won the Loebner prize 
! 
