TDT.org Biographies

[George at C-Springs]

I enjoyed reading David's bio over in the Bett's Books thread today. It occured to me afterwards that, although I've been here on the site for over a year now, I really don't know the backgrounds of a lot of you. Sure we all know each other's collecting interests, opinions, some likes and dislikes, but how well do we really know our fellow collectors?

So, I thought, why not start a "Bio's" thread? A place where you can tell the world about yourself, what you've done, where you've been, what makes you you. I propose starting it off with a cut and paste of David's bio here (I'd do it but am on a phone, can't) and then anyone who wishes can add to it at anytime. You can even cheat to make it easy and use David's as a template! What do you think? I'll add mine as soon as I unpack the computer and get internet access!

Tell us about yourself!

Horhay

(see, you didn't know that's been my nickname for 20+ years .... George in Spanish, spelled phonetically in English)

[mistercrowley]

So what your saying is you could play a fantastic guitar solo and then proceed to kick some ass like a ninja? J/K thanks for the bio. I like reading about my other board members and will eventually post something. I warn you ahead of time I'm horrible with talking about myself.

[Merlin1958]

This is a truly inspired thread, George. I'll have to come up with something soon.

[Merlin1958]

Ok, here goes....................After graduating HS I attended TCU in the late '70's. In HS I played basketball (duh, I'm 6'9") and played drums in a rock band. Continued the band part in college and eventually got a couple of studio musician gigs in Texas. After I had had enough of the great state of Texas I returned home to embark on a career on Wall St. I began in the Stock Record depart of Kidder, Peabody, Inc and worked my way up to Supervisor of the Daily Take-off Team. It was at that time that I met my future wife, Susan. She worked in the "Cage" in the Stock Transfer dept. She would deliberately cause differences requiring me to visit her Dept. LOL I asked her out on our first date (to see "The Rose" at the Ziegfield theater) and two kids, boy and a girl later, the rest is history.

Not long after marrying my wife, I received an offer from an agency contracting "Financial Consultants" to various banking and brokerage clients. The pay was much more lucrative and off I went. Financial Consultants are sort of "Gunslingers" in the Operations area's of Banks and Brokerage houses. I did that for many years and eventually, in 1987, decided to form with a partner my own consulting firm, Wall St. Unlimited, Inc. The decision was made while my wife was in the hospital giving birth to our daughter, Kristine. Needless to say it was a ballsy move at the time!!

Nevertheless, we were very successful and eventually sold the firm in 1998 or 99 for a tidy sum. However, in a story too long to be told here, along the way my partner and I, along with my father (who was a 30 year AT&T man) started a Telecommunications firm. We were authorized dealers for NEC, Lucent, Fujitsu and SRX (Trading com systems) among others. We were also Authorized Agents for (originally) NYNEX, then Bell Atlantic and finally Verizon. An authorized agent is a big deal in NYC. It basically allows you to print money in the Telecom biz. In 1997 we were the No.1 Agent out selling all others. We also secured the largest ever agent install with the Tenneco, Inc. account. Lots of funny stories on that one. One of our larger accounts was the Port Authority and we installed an SRX system in the WTC for them.

To keep it short, after 9/11 it just felt like it was time to go. We sold the Telecom firm in 2003, by Verizon the authorized agent printer was hobbling, and I semi-retired. Completely on my own, but working with compatible vendors, I became a Telecom consultant writing RFP's and overseeing system installations primarily at educational facilities. By 2005, at the top of the real estate market and with my son at ASU and my daughter looking to follow, I retired, sold the house and moved to sunny (Oh so, sunny) Arizona where my Dad had retired in 1996. So here I am. One last thing, we were Authorized dealers for the complete line of AT&T business telephone systems one of the most popular systems being the Merlin BTS , hence, coupled with my love of the DT series, my member name "Merlin"

Happy Holidays all!!!!

[mistercrowley]

Your an interesting man...for a Yankees fan

[Merlin1958]

Your an interesting man...for a Yankees fan

I don't always drink beer, but when I do I drink ..............Dos Equis

[Ben Staad]

Your an interesting man...for a Yankees fan

I don't always drink beer, but when I do I drink ..............Dos Equis

That might be pushing it

[Merlin1958]

Your an interesting man...for a Yankees fan

I don't always drink beer, but when I do I drink ..............Dos Equis

That might be pushing it

LOL it definitely was!!!! tsk, tsk people from Sarasota!!! LOL J/K

[Merlin1958]

Bump


I'd love to hear others "Bio's"!!!!

[Randall Flagg]

I speak only for myself, but I don't feel like typing up and posting my bio. I get the feeling most of the other collector's here feel the same way.

[TCCBodhi]

OK, as short as I can: Born in 1970 in Iowa and began reading SK by around age 12, starting with Salems Lot. As a teen I really didn't have much of an ability to do any collecting, but my mother helped me get on track with Grant Books for DT 2 trade edition, so I was in all the lotteries other than for DT 1. Wasn't successful until DT 7. Moved to Arizona just before I finished high school and went to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, ending up with a Music Education degree. I taught for 5 years in the public schools before I decided to leave the field. My partner and I moved in 2001 to Dallas where I began working tech support for a certain neighborly insurance company where I still work. Maybe not an illustrious career, but keeps us fed and able to leave work at work.

I have also been singing with the Turtle Creek Chorale for over a decade, a 200ish voice gay mens chorale. We're regarded as a highly popular and influential in the choir world, and I'm proud to have been a part of that.

I've been with my partner for nearly 14 years, but will be finally be legally marrying him (although in Iowa, not Texas) on 1/6/2012. I'm very excited to be able to take this step with him. Hopefully, it will be federally recognized within a few years which will greatly ease some of the medical/financial hassles that we've always had to deal with and still will, in spite of being married.

Bringing it back around to Stephen King, the notable part of my collection consists of DT2-4 Limited Trade (Unsigned), DT5-6 Artist Editions (non-remarqued), DT7 #149x Deluxe and Artist Edition (finally, via lottery after 17 years of lottery attempts), DT TLSOE copy #100x Deluxe & Artist, Under The Dome Signed/Limited & 11/22/63 Signed/Limited. I've ordered Artist Edition of Wind Through The Keyhole and will be hoping for luck in getting the Deluxe. It just doesn't feel right to me to get it from someplace other than Grant.

My favorites are a tie between The Stand & The Talisman, with DT as a whole falling a little behind those. I'm still working on 11/22/63, but I feel like it is going to be up there in that company. Also have a fond place in my heart for Salems Lot & It, and an unusual entry The Long Walk. My least favorite by a LONG shot is Dreamcatcher......Shit Weasels?.....really?

Anyway, there's a little idea of where this forum newbie is coming from.

[Patrick]

I'm enjoying reading these bios. Thanks for posting them.

About three years ago, the predecessor site (.com) did a weekly Q&A thread focusing on a staff member. Some of the info is outdated now, but there's one on each Brice, Jerome, me, and others, buried somewhere in the site's general archive.

[Merlin1958]

I'm enjoying reading these bios. Thanks for posting them.

About three years ago, the predecessor site (.com) did a weekly Q&A thread focusing on a staff member. Some of the info is outdated now, but there's one on each Brice, Jerome, me, and others, buried somewhere in the site's general archive.

Can you dig 'em up and post them here, Patrick?

[Patrick]

I'm enjoying reading these bios. Thanks for posting them.

About three years ago, the predecessor site (.com) did a weekly Q&A thread focusing on a staff member. Some of the info is outdated now, but there's one on each Brice, Jerome, me, and others, buried somewhere in the site's general archive.

Can you dig 'em up and post them here, Patrick?

Ok, I'll dig up mine, probably later tonight after my kids are asleep. It's long and probably boring.

The others can decide whether to dig up their threads and post links, or leave them buried in the searchable archive.

[Ari_Racing]

I don't think my bio would be interesting, but anyway...

I was born in Jan. 1980 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and I live in a small town called Adrogue since that moment (Adrogué is one of the most beautiful towns in Buenos Aires. It's a place were some presidents used to spend their weekends on and, regarding authors, Jorge Luis Borges used to spend his weekends and holidays here as well).

My grandfather used to tell me horror stories since I was old enough to pay attention (2 or 3 years old), so I fell in love with the genre being really young. The first story I remember hearing was The Black Cat, by Edgar Allan Poe, and according to my grandmother (my grampa passed away 13 years ago), I was 3 when I first heard it.

Well, since that moment I listened to a lot of horror stories, and when I learned how to read (6), I started reading 'em. If you sum that I was able to watch some horror movies even when I was 7 or 8 (my fathers didn't know, and my gramma was sleeping at that hour), well...was just a matter of time until I was trapped by King's work, something that happened when I was 13 or 14. Since that moment until I was 20 I was just a reader. On my 20s I started collecting, and even when I thought it was going to be really hard to get good stuff (since I live outside USA), I'm really amazed on the stuff I was able to get through the years.

I got a degree in software development, but I never worked as one, since my first job in the field was as a videogame beta tester, promoted then to postproduction positions, until I got tired and I aimed for the place I really wanted: videogame designer. Worked as one for two years for Gameloft and then I started my own company with part of the team, where I'm one of the co-founders, producer, director and game designer (yes...my life has no more free time). In the meantime I'm also one of the owners of an argentinian bookstore dedicated to Stephen King called Restaurant de la Mente and I'm the subdirector of a magazine also dedicated to him called INSOMNIA, which has been in the field for more than 14 years already.

I live with my girlfriend Cecilia and my cat Caliope. This is a pic of the day Caliope arrived home




Well...that's all!

[Merlin1958]

Great stuff, Ari!!!! Feel like I know you better now!!!

[Randall Flagg]

I'm enjoying reading these bios. Thanks for posting them.

About three years ago, the predecessor site (.com) did a weekly Q&A thread focusing on a staff member. Some of the info is outdated now, but there's one on each Brice, Jerome, me, and others, buried somewhere in the site's general archive.

Are you talking about Facilitator of the Month? If so, they are archived (Keystone Tower Archive pages 20 & 21), but alas you and I were never Fac of the month (I believe because we were Managers at the time).

[Patrick]

Ari, thanks for sharing!

I'm enjoying reading these bios. Thanks for posting them.

About three years ago, the predecessor site (.com) did a weekly Q&A thread focusing on a staff member. Some of the info is outdated now, but there's one on each Brice, Jerome, me, and others, buried somewhere in the site's general archive.

Are you talking about Facilitator of the Month? If so, they are archived (Keystone Tower Archive pages 20 & 21), but alas you and I were never Fac of the month (I believe because we were Managers at the time).

I remember those, but I'm talking about the more general staff Q&A threads. The site was doing a thread on one staff member per week. I think the order may have been alphabetical. I'll go look for mine.


EDIT: Here's my old archived thread. Don't bother wasting your time reading it, but if you do, take it all with a grain of salt: Patrick

Also, much of the "current facts are now dated and therefore no longer apply.

EDIT #2: It's been a week. Link removed. The thread is still there in the archive.

[herbertwest]

I don't think my bio would be interesting, but anyway...

I was born in Jan. 1980 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and I live in a small town called Adrogue since that moment (Adrogué is one of the most beautiful towns in Buenos Aires. It's a place were some presidents used to spend their weekends on and, regarding authors, Jorge Luis Borges used to spend his weekends and holidays here as well).

My grandfather used to tell me horror stories since I was old enough to pay attention (2 or 3 years old), so I fell in love with the genre being really young. The first story I remember hearing was The Black Cat, by Edgar Allan Poe, and according to my grandmother (my grampa passed away 13 years ago), I was 3 when I first heard it.

Well, since that moment I listened to a lot of horror stories, and when I learned how to read (6), I started reading 'em. If you sum that I was able to watch some horror movies even when I was 7 or 8 (my fathers didn't know, and my gramma was sleeping at that hour), well...was just a matter of time until I was trapped by King's work, something that happened when I was 13 or 14. Since that moment until I was 20 I was just a reader. On my 20s I started collecting, and even when I thought it was going to be really hard to get good stuff (since I live outside USA), I'm really amazed on the stuff I was able to get through the years.

I got a degree in software development, but I never worked as one, since my first job in the field was as a videogame beta tester, promoted then to postproduction positions, until I got tired and I aimed for the place I really wanted: videogame designer. Worked as one for two years for Gameloft and then I started my own company with part of the team, where I'm one of the co-founders, producer, director and game designer (yes...my life has no more free time). In the meantime I'm also one of the owners of an argentinian bookstore dedicated to Stephen King called Restaurant de la Mente and I'm the subdirector of a magazine also dedicated to him called INSOMNIA, which has been in the field for more than 14 years already.

I live with my girlfriend Cecilia and my cat Caliope. This is a pic of the day Caliope arrived home




Well...that's all!

You have a bookstore dedicated to Stephen King? You never mentionned it. Any pictures? :-)

[Randall Flagg]

I remember those, but I'm talking about the more general staff Q&A threads. The site was doing a thread on one staff member per week. I think the order may have been alphabetical. I'll go look for mine.


Also, much of the "current facts are now dated and therefore no longer apply.

You are correct. Mine is in that archive. I don't plan on copying it over here, but it is there for viewing. Like yours some stuff is dated and no longer applicable.

[ICry4Oy]

I'll play!

Raised in the deep woods of Mississippi. We were poor dirt farmers and had no indoor plumbing until I was about 6yo and no phone until I was around 17yo. I've picked cotton until my fingers bled and if you've ever picked cotton you know that don't take long. I've ran down gravel roads and through the woods barefoot and swam in cow ponds with my cousins and loved every minute of it! At one time, an RC Cola and a moon pie were the food of the gods to me. From the time I was old enough to hold a hoe (shut up!) I worked a 13 acre field of corn, beans, okra and tomatos. It was back-breaking work!

The day after I graduated high school I enlisted in the Air Force and served four years in a Tactical Air Control unit assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Army) at Ft. Campbell, KY. During my time in the service I completed a couple of years of college - just the basic courses - at Austin Peay. After my 4 years were up I attended Mississippi State University for a couple of semesters but grew bored with that. For a few years I kicked around at odd jobs - Hospital emergency room admissions clerk in Starkville, MS, nursing home secretary in Little Rock, AR. While working at the nursing home I took the Civil Service test and was hired for the......umm....IRS! I started as a simple clerk in OKC, OK (yes in that building that that POS McVeigh blew up). The IRS had only just received their first shipments of desktop IBMs when I got there. They were starting to gather dust when my supervisor told me that if I could figure out what to do with it, it was mine. I took home stacks of manuals - they used to come with LOTS of books - and studied them front to back. Before long I was writing simple little programs to keep track of menial little things around the office. The newly formed "ADP" staff saw what I was doing and offered me a position that I gladly took. A few years and a few promotions later I took a better position in Dallas and that's where I am now. Tomorrow is my last day as I am retiring after 32 years.

I met my husband over 26 years ago in Oklahoma City. Our friends think there's something wrong with us because we have still yet to ever have a fight. I know! We've got a house and two dogs (Min-pins), two cats (siamese), two cockatiels and a shitload of fish. I feed a colony of stray cats (about 20) along with 4 possums and a raccoon.

I do acting work when I can get it. Have appeared (just as an extra) in shows like Prison Break, Friday Night Lights, The Deep End, Chase, Lone Star, The Good Guys and two shows coming on sometime in 2012 - Good Christian Belles and the reboot of Dallas on TNT. Also have had speaking parts in about 14 commercials - mostly for a local attorney and other attorneys around the country. Still trying to get one of those four-hour erection commercials (fingers crossed!!!).

[TCCBodhi]

I saw you in Prison Break then (even if the show derailed after that first brilliant season)! I would have watched Wendell in anything though. Do you know Liz Mikel? She worked on Friday Night Lights as well (as well as lots of local theater).

[ICry4Oy]

Her name's not familiar. If you noticed a regular prisoner in every episode of season 3, wearing a bathrobe in every episode, that was me.

[Merlin1958]

Wow, Oy what a fascinating story!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Ben Staad]

We were poor dirt farmers and had no indoor plumbing until I was about 6yo and no phone until I was around 17yo

Very cool Clay! I thought I had it bad because we didn't have cable until I was 17 (1992). Thank you for sharing your story.