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

ColdForged wrote:

:lol: You felt the love!

You know it!

Mixolyde wrote:

Be careful what you wish for...

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

Topless and pantsless...

As usual, this site never fails to impress me. Well, maybe your towel doesn't..

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

I laughed... Oh, did I laugh.

Nice to meet you, Mix. I find it jarring that you don't have a big mop of hockey-hair.

Morrolan wrote:

Nice to meet you, Mix. I find it jarring that you don't have a big mop of hockey-hair.

My gf won't let me grow one. She starts whining every day that it needs to get cut until I get sick of hearing about it and get it done. Ah well.

And that's no towel, it's purple boxer shorts!

Props to the Atari 8-bit!

Mixolyde wrote:
Morrolan wrote:

Nice to meet you, Mix. I find it jarring that you don't have a big mop of hockey-hair.

My gf won't let me grow one. She starts whining every day that it needs to get cut until I get sick of hearing about it and get it done. Ah well.

Funny. My wife demands that my hair be as long as possible. She seems to go for the dirty, filthy hippy look, as my friends say. I only get my hair cut for business meetings, so I fit in to the hockey stereotype pretty well!

Good to meet you Mix... and WTF is Poutine? Just the name alone, sounds nasty.

VicD714 wrote:

Good to meet you Mix... and WTF is Poutine? Just the name alone, sounds nasty.

French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. Yum!

IMAGE(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/Poppinfresh2k5/poutine.jpg)

So it's cheese fries with gravy?

Hell, that actually sounds appetizing. I might just have to do a Wisconsin roadtrip to try that out.

Just remember: If the cheese don't squeek, you must not eak... eat. Dammit.

It's like the Garbage Plate in Rochester...a heart attack on a plate. Woot! I'll eat anything once, what the hey?

Mixolyde wrote:

It's like the Garbage Plate in Rochester...a heart attack on a plate. Woot! I'll eat anything once, what the hey?

Chicken's feet!

DrunkenSleipnir wrote:
Mixolyde wrote:

It's like the Garbage Plate in Rochester...a heart attack on a plate. Woot! I'll eat anything once, what the hey?

Chicken's feet!

Throw in some chicken necks and gizzards, and my old man will be all over that meal.

*shivers at the memory*

I am Mix's roommate, and I object that I can't be considered a pet! I mostly sit around on my ass, eat food, and growl at the company.

I'm a member here too, I just never remember to look or post... ever...

dazoid81 wrote:

I mostly sit around on my ass, eat food, and growl at the company.

I don't do much different myself really. I just smell worse.

Holy crap! How the ef did I manage to no mention my pet ferret, Paxton! Warning! Cute woozel alert!