Employee Profile: Mixolyde

This week's Employee Profile highlights our very own Mixolyde, a man who I'm pretty sure is Canadian despite his assurance that he lives in one of those tiny pretend states over by New York. I call this into question because of his unhealthy obsession with hockey. Further, despite his sending me a supposed picture of himself with his girlfriend, of whom he mentions almost as much as hockey, I have opted to post a picture of him with the cold love of his computers.

IMAGE(http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/files/images/brian3.thumbnail.jpg)

Actually, now that I think on it, a true Canadian would not split his love between hockey and a girlfriend. Maybe he's Belgian? I dunno.

1)Who the devil are you?

I'm Brian! I'm a 26 year old code monkey (software developer) in northern Delaware (the state, not the county in Ohio or Pennsylvania). Most of my spare time revolves around my girlfriend, ice hockey, video games, and maintaining web sites, generally in that order. You can see more about my hockey exploits at the home page for my team, the Bellevue Bearcats. I'm also the webmaster for a community site based mostly around the group of friends I graduated college with over at the Techhouse. My home page/blog is hosted there, too. Hand-coded for extra goodness! I'm also a big reader and grammarian, surprisingly so for a computer guy, I think.

2) What are you supposed to be doing during the day when you're reading GWJ?

I work for a small software research company called QuantumLeap Innovations. We mostly work on government contracts to develop spiffy AI software. My specific job involves internal tech support, network and system maintenance, improving development tools and, if I'm very lucky, sometimes I get to work on neat projects. I'm also currently the office champ of Bubble Hockey and have the Cup to prove it!

3) How about family? Kids? Pets? Particularly meaningful inanimate objects?

Well, I have a scruffy roommate named Dan, does he count? {ed: No.} I'd consider him more family than a pet. He cleans up better than I do! I'm currently seeing the cutest girl ever, there are pics all over Techhouse. She finishes her undergrad in May and will be going to law school soon, that's gonna be fun. I'm very close with my sister and brother who look up to me and my awesomeness. I have two guitars that I am particularly attached to. Both are Ibanez's, one electric and one acoustic.

4) What was your favorite game over the last year or so? Why?

I'm one of those guys that plays a game for about two months before moving on to the next one, so it's always hard to choose a "Best Game" for me. I've spent most of my time this year trying out different MMOs. However, I keep coming back to several games after awhile. Mostly I've been returning to Guild Wars. I enjoy it a lot for the free online play, but also for the rapid action and pick-up nature of the game. I recently found a pretty active, adult, friendly guild, so I'll probably stick with it awhile this time. I also have played a lot of Puzzle Pirates on and off this year, again because of its quick pick-up nature. I only have about 5-10 hours of gaming a week, so the games that I do play have to be pretty quick to get in and out of the fun stuff. I also really, really love Meteos, and so does my girlfriend. That's definitely her favorite game of the year. I also own an Xbox, GC, and PS2 and play mostly puzzle games, RPGs, sports titles and shooters on those systems. I'd probably give Halo2 my console Game of the Year award with Burnout3: Takedown being a close second.

5) Which game are you looking forward to most?

Oddly enough, the things I'm most excited about are remakes, all of the Final Fantasy titles for the Nintendo handhelds coming out and the updated Twinkle Star Sprites for the PS2. I've enjoyed most of the RPG titles for the Nintendo handhelds, and I'm really excited about seeing how these remakes turn out. The "currently considering purchase" list for me consists of Blitz and Burnout Revenge on the Xbox and Riviera for the GBA.

6) What is your fondest gaming memory?

My fondest gaming memories are all from when my Dad and I used to play video games together when I was younger. I was raised on Ataris, both the cartridge systems (2600, 7800) and the home computers (800, 1200XL). We spent a number of afternoons just poking around disks that had been given to us to see what was on them and find games worth playing. I think my favorite memory is of the afternoon my Dad brought home a used Commodore64 and a box full of games I'd never heard of. Neither of us knew the C64 OS at all, so part of the fun was figuring out how to find and run the games, and then after that we played a couple dozen ones trying to find some favorites. My Dad and I still enjoy an internet game of Cribbage together now and again, too.

7) Do you call it "˜Mac and Cheese' or "˜Kraft Dinner'?

Oh, it's definitely mac and cheese! I've only heard the phrase 'Kraft Dinner' on a BareNaked Ladies song. Silly Canajians!

8) Finally, why do you play games at all? Why haven't you outgrown them?

Mostly it's because of my ADD, which also leads to why I play so many different games. Gaming is one of the few hobbies that can tax your brain in so many different styles. Being a relatively smart guy, I need that in a hobby. Even with something active like ice hockey, I prefer to play defense because it's much more on the mental side than other positions. Video games are just a small section of the gaming hobby, and I play lots of other types of games as well. I also enjoy gaming with other people for the social aspect. I generally feel uncomfortable with a group of people just chit-chatting, but around a gaming table I'm in my element and can be more relaxed. I love to play support roles in multiplayer games, cause I'm such a helpful guy! We've had computers in the family since I was about 2. So I've grown up with video games and they've always been a part of my life. I can't see myself 'outgrowing' them anymore than I could outgrow my family or my love of music.

9) Thanks for taking the time to answer our hard hitting questions! Any last words?

I recently suffered a tragic loss. I left my Nintendo DS behind in an airport hangar in NJ, and it appears to have been stolen since they couldn't find it the next day. Not only that, but I lost the carts and save games for Meteos, Dual Strike, FFT Advance, Chu-Chu Rocket and RebelStar Tactical. I actually had Meteos completely unlocked for about a week when this tragedy struck. Granted, it's my own fault for putting it down and not paying attention, but still. If anyone would like to contribute to the "Brian
is a Freaking Idiot Fund," please PM me or donate to Techhouse!

I'd also like to say that it's an honor to be asked to write one of these profiles here. I love this community and my enjoyment of online games has at least quadrupled since I found you guys. Thanks for taking an average geek like me into your homes and treating me so well!

Finally, I'd like to mention my hidden talent: I can solve a regular rubik's cube in about two minutes. Less than one minute after some warmup practice and a speedy cube.

GO FLYERS!

Comments

As quick update I did get myself a second DS and rebought Meteos and some other titles. I picked FFIV Advance awhile ago and love it. I might pickup the I and II Origins pack when I'm done with IV to relive those good old days.

Also, I'm definitely not Canadian since I don't call it Kraft Dinner and poutine scares the crap out of me.

GWJ 4 EVAH! Respect!

Nice to know you, Mixo!

Tell me about those geetars.

The electric is a pretty standard ~$200 starter Ibanez. I believe the model is GAX-70? I bought it about almost 5 years ago.
http://www.techhouse.us/Hosted/Brianw/wp-gallery/Me/brianrockstar.jpg

The acoustic was an xmas present from my mother about 2 years before that, also an Ibanez, about $250. I have no idea what model it is. Pretty standard looking steel acoustic with a couple of stickers. I can take some pics later.

My roommate has just bought a bass and is learning to play so that he and I can jam together and make a hellacious racket. Luckily the apt building we live in is made of solid concrete so we're pretty good on noise control.

IMAGE(http://www.techhouse.us/Images/Photos/Galleries/Members/BrianW/MeMazarkly1.JPG)

So your girlfriend is cool with the fact that this guy has his tongue in your ear? =)

1 ... 2 ... 3... 4!

4 posts until the homoerotic Employee Profile banter began. You guys are slipping.

Sure, we're cool like that. That's his girlfriend there in the picture and she doesn't seem to mind either

Elysium wrote:

1 ... 2 ... 3... 4!

4 posts until the homoerotic Employee Profile banter began. You guys are slipping.

Well there was no topless photo of him in the story.. people were confused.

Be careful what you wish for...

IMAGE(http://www.techhouse.us/Hosted/Brianw/wp-gallery/Me/guitardrunk2.JPG)

Topless and pantsless...

One really cool character he is, our Mix! Maximum respect!

Wow, nudity and guitar in one fell swoop! Well done indeed.

Those Ibanez AX series gats are pretty damn cool for the money.

Man those are some comfy looking shoes.

Somazx wrote:

IMAGE(http://www.techhouse.us/Images/Photos/Galleries/Members/BrianW/MeMazarkly1.JPG)

So your girlfriend is cool with the fact that this guy has his tongue in your ear? =)

Or that he's grabbing the other guy's boob?
haha, just kidding you darlin', you know we love you. Besides, (and since I would know this,) she'd probably just take it as an excuse to jump on the other guys' lap in revenge, or make Mix here pay up for it! Bwahaha!

split his love between soccer, chocolate, beer and a girlfriend. Maybe he's Belgian?

fixed it for ya here, only gay people pretending to be straight play hockey. They use words like Mac and Cheese, which confuses us non-hockeying beer-drinking soccer-playing heterosexual non-booby-of-friend-grabbing Belgians.

Hey, nice to meet ya Mix!

Elysium wrote:

1 ... 2 ... 3... 4!

I suppose that explains all the thunder and lightning I heard earlier.

Mixolyde wrote:

Be careful what you wish for...

*snip*

Topless and pantsless...

But - 1 for no coconut bra.

O.M.G! You are adorable!

Great profile, nice to meetcha' Mix. So, when we starting the GWJ band? Am I the only drummer? Woo!

Random thoughts, by CF.

poutine scares the crap out of me

Pansy. Poutine is God's own snack food.

You're so hairless! Like a leering Ken doll!

Ibanez's rock. They're a sh*tload better than cheap knockoffs like, say, Schecters.

Poutine may look a little scary, but it does taste great. Whenever I order it, somebody at the table comments on how nasty it looks, though.

There are far too many homoerotic pictures of Mix circulating on the web. Also, guitar players are awesome. Are you, perhaps, a Guitar Hero?

Dude, I have the same electric guitar! Color and everything. That's crazy. As Podunk said, that series has great value. A friend and I used to be snobby about Ibanez (back when I owned a Les Paul (blue Standard - 1990 Limited Colors Edition best guitar ever why'd I sell it?) and a Les Paul Studio), but I have since realized that Ibanez makes the best affordable guitars in the world.

And totally get FF 1&2 for GBA. I started FF1 last week and I'm loving it. I actually played the original on NES all the way up to the final dungeon and then decided it was too hard (if I remember, I was totally opposed to stopping to get extra levels from time to time). I'm really impressed with not only the improvements, but also how incredibly deep the original was way back on the NES. And this time around I've stopped to level a bit - it's always nice when an RPG throws you a bone with a predictably reoccurring, easy battle that nets you significant XP.

Thanks everybody! On the sexuality scale of 1 to 10. 1 being Chuck Norris and 10 being Liberace, I'm somewhere around a 3, I think? I'm comfortable enough with my sexuality that it makes everyone else wonder.

Prop - We are going to need a drummer in a few weeks, feel free to drop on by Delaware when you have some time We're staying away from lead singers for awhile, they just ruin the jamming fun!

Ibanez does make wonderful affordable guitars, I'm a big fan. My roommate's bass is from Dean, which I think is about the same as far as basses go? I don't know much about bass brands. When I finally had the cash for guitar hero the price jumped locally to $80 at my favorite places and so I skipped it and spent the money on a new hockey stick and such. It's still on the list if I see a good deal anywhere that has them in stock.

If anyone's interested, I've started doing that blogging thing again over at http://www.techhouse.us/Hosted/Brianw/.

I <3 my mazzilo! And my gf loves her bf. Oy vey!

I suppose that explains all the thunder and lightning I heard earlier.

Wah, ha, ha, ha. Four. Four posts to homoerotic banter, mahaha!

Elysium wrote:
I suppose that explains all the thunder and lightning I heard earlier.

Wah, ha, ha, ha. Four. Four posts to homoerotic banter, mahaha!

I think Elysium is channeling the Count from Sesame Street...and he ain't even dead yet! That muppety shmutz! You know his accent isn't even real? He's from New Jersey!

ColdForged wrote:

Ibanez's rock. They're a sh*tload better than cheap knockoffs like, say, Schecters.

F*CK YOU RIGHT IN YOUR STUPID FACE

Podunk wrote:
ColdForged wrote:

Ibanez's rock. They're a sh*tload better than cheap knockoffs like, say, Schecters.

F*CK YOU RIGHT IN YOUR STUPID FACE

You felt the love!

Mix, that is one kick-ass hidden talent.

It's nice to... I dunno what to call this, it's not "meeting" in any conventional sense... see your profile. I miss the Puzzle Pirates! fun and games, but my kid has sucked all my free time right away.

Anyhoo, make sure to get GH at some point. I think you'll find it's definitely worth the money (and ordering straight from RedOctane gives them more money for a sequel)!

Mix's girlfriend reminds me of Pam from "The Office" (Jenna Fischer).

I learned to do the Rubik's cube from the Intarweb. I got really bored one evening. I can solve it using Phillip Marshall's Ultimate Solution and Lars Petrus' Speed Solution depending on my mood. I can do the Master cube, too (4x4x4). It got a lot of use on the flights to and from London. The kids sitting next to me were really impressed.

If my roommate really gets into his bass than I'll be spending most of my free time on my real axe, becoming an actual guitar hero.

My current game happens to be WoW, again. I'm playing on Eonar with some coworkers as a Troll Priest. You want some of my jamba love?

Lastly, is there anything finer than a fine woman in a pair of hockey skates? Let me answer that for you...no!

Ah, Puzzle Pirates. I know a dude who worked on it for a while -- although sadly he was downsized back in the fall when their subscriber base started to drop off significantly.

Sad to say, though, as cool as the concept sounded to me I was never really able to get into the game.