Hobbyist by nature, fen by choice....

>From the tender age of 5, when he first received Star Wars toys in a
multitude of tiny packages under the sprawling Christmas tree, Mr.
Williamson was doomed to ever onwards exist in a world of primarily
introverted interests and introspective pursuits.  Gifted with above
average intelligence, he alienated his peer groups by being accelerated
not one, but two grades in grammar and middle school.  It was not until
high school that he learned the healing power of laughter, and in
acquiring "a damned odd sense of humour" (cf. _Williamson's roommates_,
interview, September 1995), he managed to keep them laughing long enough
that they forgot why it was he didn't belong.

College provided a cascade of blinding epiphanies, from the fickle ways
of romance ("three times you deny me" --Tim Rice, _Jesus Christ
Superstar_) to the harsh realities of science ("Math is HARD!" --Barbie,
1992).  Chemistry, other than in a purely recreational sense, seemed to
NOT be the wisest career/study path for this subject; instead, he
shifted his thought paradigms to his work-study position--and studied
computers, turning his grades around in record time.

A near-fatal multi-month "merged permanence" of sorts led to Mr.
Williamson's nadir, the summer of 1992.  Drummed out of university, no
job, no permanent residence, pariahed from his family, he despaired.
And out of the ashes of his former life grew independence,
self-reliance, a temporary position with the university that abhorred
him, and finally permanent employment.

Now he is 23, still heavy-set (a polite term meaning "fat"), owns a cute
black and white cat named Shada (a shortened form of her proper
appellation, Scheherazade), lives with two roommates, pays his own
taxes, and spends all his spare money on "toys".

Ever since the age of 5, he was doomed.  For the past 18 years, his
expenses have run from action figures to comic books to sf/fantasy/etc
novels to compact discs to videotapes to laserdiscs to home theater
equipment.  By nature a collector (not a packrat, no; one must clear the
old to make way for the new oftimes), the material he manages to wedge
into 1/3 of the apartment he shares would easily fill 4/3 of it.

He credits his current not-quite-sane state of mind to his wholehearted
embracement of anime fandom in late 1993.

He blames his lack of contribution to the fanfic ML, and verily, to the
writing community at large, on a job which sometimes keeps him at work
for 17 hour jags, much as this evening.

And he bids good evening to you all.

--Angst-sensei
(Still crazy after all these years.)

-- 
/-\ ** Jeff Williamson *** Lightfall Integrated Media *** Chicago, IL ** /-\
|A| jeff@casbah.acns.nwu.edu *@_@* Anime Central Recruitment Coordinator |9|
|C| ==> Misleading subliminal here ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ yes, *here* ^^^^^^^^^^^ |8|
\-/ *CAUTION!  Receiving information.  CAUTION!  Receiving information!* \-/